Vacheron Constantin Beverly Hills Boutique Opening

WHL's post from 2013 documents the grand opening of Vacheron Constantin's Beverly Hills boutique, an event that underscored the brand's commitment to luxury retail experiences and cultural partnerships. This report provides insight into how Vacheron Constantin celebrated its heritage and craftsmanship while engaging with the art community through its collaboration with LACMA.

Vacheron Constantin Celebrates the Grand Opening of its Beverly Hills Boutique

with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

Vacheron Constantin, the world’s oldest Haute Horlogerie manufacturer with more than 250 years of uninterrupted history, celebrated the opening of its Rodeo Drive boutique on the evening of May 2^nd.  Juan-Carlos Torres, CEO of Vacheron Constantin, Michael Govan and Katherine Ross, director of LACMA, and Hugues de Pins, president of Vacheron Constantin North America, co-hosted the event.   Among the art and watch collector guests in attendance were Rochelle Gores Fresston, Liz Goldwyn, Gregory Parkinson, Scott Sternberg, and Kendall Conrad.

The evening began with a ribbon cutting in the presence of Mr. Torres, Mr. de Pins, and Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirish at the Vacheron Constantin boutique on Rodeo Drive.  Elegantly dressed guests arrived in chauffeur-driven cars provided for the evening.  They enjoyed an inaugural Champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres while viewing a live watchmaking demonstration and admiring the exceptional timepieces on display.  After being chauffeured to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, guests were escorted through Chris Burden’s spectacular sculpture, Urban Light.  They arrived at a 144-foot long, chandelier-lit table under mirrored arches open to the spring sky and adjacent to Levitated Mass, a monumental outdoor sculpture by artist Michael Heizer comprised of a 340-ton granite boulder suspended over a 456-foot-long slot in the earth.

Michael Govan welcomed the 146 guests and spoke about his appreciation of the evening and his personal involvement with the James Turrell exhibit, promising that it would be a “life changing” experience.  Referring to the exceptional party and program orchestrated by Vacheron Constantin, he joked, “this is just another day at LACMA!”

“At Vacheron Constantin, supporting the arts is more than a commitment, it is a duty. For both watchmaking and the arts, great accomplishment is a human story,” Juan-Carlos Torres said following Mr. Govan’s remarks. “We are delighted to begin our relationship with the Los Angeles community through our sponsorship of the upcoming exhibit James Turrell: A Retrospective at LACMA.”

The celebration marked the first large-scale event of its kind to take place next to Levitated Mass at the esteemed museum.

Guests were treated to a specially-crafted five-course dinner created and prepared exclusively by Chef Alain Passard of L’Arpege, Paris. Chef Passard’s masterful creations earned him a 3-Star Michelin rating early in his career at L’Arpege and is still maintained today.  As the sun set, Los Angeles-based rising-star Andra Day entertained the guests with a lively and captivating montage of songs.

The Beverly Hills boutique, at 365 North Rodeo Drive, is the maison’s fourth in the United States, with others open in New York City, Las Vegas and Costa Mesa, California. 

Vacheron Constantin is proud to be a sponsor of James Turrell: A Retrospective opening in previews May 23. The exhibit opens to the public on May 26 and runs through April 6, 2014.